Vacuum-carbureter



w. J. EN EARL. VACUUM CARBURETEH. APPLICATION HLED'MAR. 28,1917.

'' Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

8mm zan /gay; 1313 2 52 7/.

WILTRLM J. EN EARL, OF MONTE VISTJ LCOLORADO,

(.LKZBURETOB COMPANY, OF MONTE VJlS Tg}, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF CwLORADO.

ASSIGNOR TO THE VACUUM vAontrM-oARBUnnr'm-n- Application filed March 28, 1917.

To all whom. it 11mg concern Be it known that I, VVILLTAM J. EN EARL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monte 'Vista, in the county of Rio Grande and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum C-arbureters; and'l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appen tains to make and use the same, reference bein had to the accom )an in drawin s and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

. The present invention appertains to carburetors and is particularly an improvement over the vacuum carbureters disclosed in my previous Patent No. 1,195,343 dated August 22, 1918; and for the most part is a continuation of my previous application filed April 12,1916, Serial. No. 90,716. The primary object of the invention is to provide a carbureter having means whereby the suction created .by the engine tends to create a vacuum in the fuel reservoir. thereby sucking the fuel from the tank into the res ervoir of the carbnreter, even though the fuel tank be at a lower level than the carburetor, in order that an adequate supply of fuel may be delivered to the fuel nozzle of the carburetor under-all conditions.

A source of carburetor trouble lies in the I fact that difficulty has been experienced in delivering the fuel from the tank to the carburetor. If a gravity feed is used, the

. fuel tank mustbe at a higher level than the iii carbureter under all conditions, so that the carbureter must be at an exeedingly low point or the tank must be elevated. This is objectionable in automobile construction, since the fuel tank generally encumbers the machine and is located at an objectionable or dangerous point. The logical place for the fuel tank is at the rear of the automobile, and when this is the case, the fuel must either be forced from the tanknnder pressure to the carburetor, or in accordance'with some systems now in use, the fuel is sucked from the tank into a secondary or. supplemental tank at a higher level than the carbureter from which supplemental tank. the fuel flows by gravity to the c-arbureter. With this system the supplemental tank in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1 1921.

Serial No. 158,077.

cluding the Working parts and connections 65. entail additional expense both in original cost and installation.

The present invention resides in the provision of a carbureter having means whereby the suction created by the engine extends into the fuel reservoir of the carbureter, whereby the fuel will be drawn from the tank at any position thereof into the fuel reservoir, thus providing for an adequate delivery of fuel from the fuel nozzle under all conditions, and eliminating the use of a supplemental elevated tank and accompanyingparts. In other words, the PIQSGIliLlIL vention embodies the vacuum system in the carburetor itself. thus eliminating the expense and trouble incident to vacuum sys tems now in use and accomplishing the same results with a carburetor which can be manufactured at practically the same cost as ordinary ones. 75

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for bringing the upper portion of the fuel reservoir of the carbureter into communication with the air passage thereof in order thatthe desired results may be carried out in a satisfactory and thoroughly eflicicnt manner.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of novel means in the Car bureter for controlling the primary and: secondary air currents. and means for enrichingthe mixture and for priming the carbureter.

lt is also within the scope of the invention to providea carburetor having the charac teristics above noted, and which at the same time is comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, as well as practical and serviceable.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that 100 changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having outlined my improved construe 105 tion as well as the function it is intended to subserve, Iwill'proceed .to describe the same 'n detail, reference beingmadeto-theec;

igs. 3 and 4: are cross sections of the adjustable device for controlling the suction in the fuel reservoir.

The present carbureter embodies an up-- right tubular body 1 forming a part of the air passage and said body 1 is provided at its upper end with a flange 2 or other means for attaching the carburetor to the intake manifold 3 of the engine. The carburetor is provided with a depending air inlet mem extremity of a vertically disposed tube A. upon which the float 1'? slides freely in a her fi which is'a continuation of the body.

though somewhat reduced in diameter, and in which the throttle valve 7 (preferably of the butterfly type) is mounted, a throttle lever or crank arm 8 being connected to the valve 7 in the ordinary manner for, operating it.

The body 1 is provided with an upstan ling fuel nozzle 9 from Whose lower ex tremity extends a horizontal lportion 9'. The body 1 forms a support tor the fuel nozzle 9 which is angle shaped and composed of an uprightmember and a' -horizontally disposed member. At one side oi'. the body 1 is a fuel reservoir 12, said reservoir normally-having the liquid at a. sullicient height therein to be approximately on a level with the upright extremity of the fuel nozzle. Hence I must have a suction feed under all conditions and this is obtained by reason of the differential between the suction immediately adjacent the nozzle and that in the upper portion of the fuel reservoir as hereinafter more fully explained. T he upper portion of the reserovir 12 is united with the upper end of the body 1 by a portion 13, said body 1 and reservoir 12 being prei erably integral and cast from suitable metal. The reservoir 12 is integral with one side of the body 1 and said side wall is provided with a horizontal passage or duct 15 with. which the lower portion of the body 1 is provided. The horizontal portion of the fuel nozzle 9 is connected with the body in such a manner that the passage of the said nozzle registers with a passage 15, thus placing the fuel nozzle in communication with the liquid in the reservoir 12. The latter is provided with a removable bottom member 16 into which is threaded the lower vertical direction. The lower end of this tube A is in communication tvith a bottom chamber B into which the liquid fucl'enters by way of a nipple C which is connected with he source of supply not. shown, The

incense upper extremity. or the tube A is open to. permit the liquid fuel to enter the reservoir 12 by overflowing at the top of said tube, the upper extremity of this tube being equipped with a valve 19 having a short depending; stem 18. The opening movement of the valve 19 is controlled by triggers 21 which are pivotally mounted on a support 20, the latter being; carried by the tube A whose upper extremity passes through an opening formed in said support. Hence as the float rises from the fuel reservoir so that the triggers are engaged thereby the valve will be held in the seated position, since the inner extremities of the said triggers overlap the upper extremity of the valve. (See Fig. 1-) Hence the fuel is maintained at its normal level in the reservoir. because when the fuel level lowers, the float can lower, thus 'per- Initting the valve to move upwardly so that itwill be opened by the pressure of the liquid. entering the said reservoir by way of the tube A.

In order to control the flow of: air from the inlet member 6 into the body ll, an annular member 22 is sliilable upon the lower vertical portion of the nozzle 9 and is supported by said nozzle which itseli is stationary with the body 1 as heretofore plained. Extending; upwardly from the member 22 is an annular portion 23 and corn nected with such portion is a frusto-conical member 26 provided at its upper end with a contracted cylindrical nozzle 27 surroundii'ig and projecting above the tip of the fuel nozale 9, and providing a constricted portion of the air passage into which the fuel. nozzle 9 n'ojects.

lounted for vertical movement within the body 1 is a sleeve 28 providing a valve slidably fittingthe walls of the body 1 which guide the sleeve 28. for vertical movement. The lower end of the sleeve 28 is adapted to snugly surround the portion 23'tor closing apertures 25 when the sleeve lowest limit of movement; The sleeve is seatable upon 'a shoulder 24 with which the part 23 of the annular member 22 is provided so that the lower end of the sleeve can only move far enough downwardly to close the said. apertures. The annular memher 23 below the sleeve is equipped with a series of relatively small perforations Tl which are always open to allow air from the inlet member 6 to pass into the frusto-conical member, and thence upwardly through the air passage of the carburetor which leads to the engine intake 3.

The upper end of the sleeve 28 is provided with a bridging member 31 to which I. .the'upper end of a'needle valve 33 is secured, said valve having a downwardly tapered portion which enters the tip of the fuel nozzle 9 and extends downwardly thereinto a sutlicient distance to prevent its 28 is at its air suction passage is at than catjon with the escape therefrom, when the sleeve 28 is at its llm'rt of upward movement. The valve 33 is normally in position to approximately I cldse the tip of the fuel nozzle 9, but is always slightly open in order to supply the necessary fuel which in conjunction with the small amount ofair passing through the constantly opened perforations D, will supply the necessary explosive Lmixture for operating the engine when idle or when not tinder load as when the clutch is thrown out. Asa means for adjusting the member 22 iin'order to lift the sleeve 28 and properly 7 open the needle valve for the normal working i condition, a spindle 37 is journaled for rotation through one wall of provided at its inner end with an eccentric projection 38 which enters a slot 39 of the member 22, an arm or lever 40 being attached to the outer end of the spindle 37 for rocking or oscillating it. Hence' it will be under- .stood that as the spindle is'actuated,'limited vertical movement may be imparted to th member 22 for the purpose desired, A salient feature of the invention is the provision ofa hollow rotatablyadjustable tubular member 44 for establishing communication between the upper portion. of the g reservoir 12 and the air suction passage which is. in comrnunication with the intake r of the engine and for controlling the pressure inthe'reservoir 12. This member-44 is journaled in the upperportion of the tubular 'body 1 and itsportion which-enters the air suction passage is provided with a number ,of-perforations L which fonncommunication between theair suction passage and the up per portion of the' reservoir-12, through the T medium of the tube '44. a'nd perforations E formed therein ancl'in c mmunication with an opening-Fin the'top' of the reservoir 12. The member-44 is also provided with a stem G which passesthrough a stufling-box H and extends beyond the same where it has a uni- 45 versal joint connection-I with arodJ which isaccessible' toithe chauffeur or person in [*tharge'of the machine upon which the car- 'bureter is located, whereby the cylindrical it; member 44jmay be rotatably adjusted for regulating the suction. Stationary within acasing K which 1 s eiirvedj to fit the curvature of the member he' casin however, being out away for its eircu'mferen e to expose the ember-44,- "whereby'the per orations L of said nu'enriber may be placed in communiair suction passage and consequently in communication with the upper 'pjart gof the -reservoir 12 as heretofore ex-, 69 plained-, or these perforations L maybe practically closed by'the casing K. It will be understood that the'rotatably adjustable cy-' liirdrical member 44 is provided with a single row of perforations which are in alinement,

whereby they may all be practically 'closed' 'gine, when the entire suction is needed for the body 1 and is the direction of the .of the fuel nozzle,

by the cas partially closed or opened suction passage, or as may be desired.

During the priming or starting of the en- 70 drawing the initial charge of liquid fuel through the air suction passage in order to obtain a relatively rich ex losive mixture, the adjustable member 44 Wlll be rotated to cut off the perforationsL of the portion of the said member which projects into the air suction passage. 7 T In this position, a very'rich mixture will be obtained momentarily at least, the pressure in the upper portion of the reservoir being atmospheric initially. As the engine picks up the member 44 will be rotated by the operator so that the apertures L will clear the casing K but still be on the under side ofthe tube 44. In this position there will be a tendency for the pressure in. the top of the reservolr 12 to reduce to the subatmospheric pressure in the air passage; however, it will not fall quite so low due to flow of the mixture in the air passage and the positionof the apertures L.- As the engine gets under way, the member 44 may be rotated further, and, as the apertures move from a horizontal position toward the vertical position of Fig. 95 3, a lower and lower pressure will be ob-' tained in the upper portion of the reservoir 12 due to the inspirator or suction effect which the velocity of the mixture in the air passage will have on the mixture in the 1 tube 44.

Hence, a gradually decreasing flow ofliquid from the fuel nozzle results giving a leaner mixture. However, as has been determined by experiment, a much lower pressure is obtained at the tip of the fuel nozzle due to the velocity of the air at this point, than is obtained at the point where member 44 is positioned.

As a result a properly regulated flow from the fuel nozzle may be obtained at all times. When the fuel reservoir is located as illustrated in the drawing or in such a manner that the liquid fuel cannot flow by gravity from the tip of the nozzle, the flow is regu- From this it-will be understood that in order i251.

that there may be a discharge from the tip, the suction must be greater at this point than in the top of the fuel reservoir, since if there were no suction differential. or if-the suction were balanced, there wouldbe no'fiow from the nozzle and consequently the feedvof'the liquid fuelto the ca'rbureterfor purposes of upp'lying the explosive mixture Where the ueI 'freser voir. i located asshown" in the drawing, 13o

.a secondary supply of air.

must depend upon maintaining; a greater. dcg rcc of suction imnualiatcly surrounding the tip o t the fuel nozzle. than in the top (it the t'uel rcsci soir.

While the dil'l'crential of pressure must be llllllllillllittl so as to permit the tuel to be drawn out at the nozzle tip it must be understood that pressure in the top of reservoir 12 is never so high that the fuel will not be 'lrawn into the reservoir through the valve 19 by the suction "which supplies the luel nozzle. This teature of supplying the reservoir 12 from the supply tank not shown) by suction is fully as important as is the ditl'erential olt pressure in t'ceding the. fuel from the nozzle.

The air suction raises the sleeve 28 pro portionate to the degree of suction. and when the sleeve 28 is raised. the apertures 25 are uncovered whereby air \vill flow through the air inlet member ti the Valve '7 being properly adjusted, into the tl'lbular member ill and also into the t" ilar mombcr 21] when the sleeve 28 is sod above the base of the trusto-conical member 26 (see Fin. in which llggure the relative elevation of the tubular member 2% is rather pronounced and possibly exan'p; :atcd so far as working conditions are Ct erncd. The operation thus described provides a. priinary supply oi. air which tlows past the. tip of the nozzle 9 to atomiz'e the fuel, the {low of air past the tip being restricted by the contracted portion 27 of the member 26, whereby to increase the suction and velocity of the air at this point, to facilitate the atomizing of the :tuel. hen the air suction increases above a certain degree, the sleeve 25% in being raised tarther will be moved away from the shoulder 23, thus permitting air to flow upwardly between the members 26 and 28 as heretofore cxplaineth to provide Thus as the air suction is accelerated beyond a certain clegree, a secondary supply ot air is admitted into the carburetor in gradually increasing amount to mix with the carluneted air flowing through the part 27, and as the air suction decreases, the sleeve 28 will return or niove di'm'nvardly toward its normal position, first shutting oil the secoinlary supply nit-air, and then it the suction decreases turthcr or is stopped, the'slccvc 528 will cover the apertures 'the air suction will also tend to suck the t'uel lrom the res rvoir out at the *t'uel nozzle. and said air suction will: also extend through the adjustable member 4-4 into the upper portion of the reservoir 1% thereby tending); to create a vacuum in the reservoir 12, which serves to suck the fuel from the fuel tank (not shown) into the reservoir 19,, even though the fuel tank is at a considerably lower level than the carlmreter. The adjustment of the pectoratcd tubular member 44*. for the purgose oi? the fuel. reservoir regulating: the suction in the upper portion ot the l'uel reservoir 12 has already been describial. lVhen. the apertures 25 are not covered, either with a low or high air suction, the flow of air through the portion 27 will be p actically the same under the vari ous conditions, thus making provision for a practically uniform partial-vacuum Within the reservoir 12 which is in communication with the air suction passage through the medium at the perforated adjustable member it as 'heretotm'e explained.

Attention is called to the fact that the primary object of the adjustable member 44, is to produce sullicient suction in the top of 12 to keep said reservoir autoinatically supplied at all times with the necessary liquid tuel, said; suction in. the top ot the reservoir being sufficient to draw this fuel 'lrorn the supply ank which it is assumed is located at a relatively low point on the n'iachinc as in considerably below the level of the fuel res ervoir 19.. This function is accomplished by reason ot the fact that the member 1% projects into the path the air passage, the suction being produced by the rush of air past the pertorations in said member 44. Hence it is practicable to regulate the degree of the suction within the top of the reservoir 12 by varying the position of the perforaat-ions as heretofore explained.

' Having: thus described my l claim is:

1. A carburetor having an air passage, a throttle valve controlling" the flow of air into said passage, a fuel reservoir, communicating with the reservoir jectin'g within said passage and a pressurecontrolling member communicating at one end with the upper portion of the reservoir and having its other end projecting into the said air passage said pressurc-controlllug member being" perforated on one side only and rotatably adjustable to change the directhe rear thereof and- El E5 invention, what a fuel nozzle and pro-' tion of the perforated portion, and a station ary casing: also located within the air passage and adjacent and in contact with sai member to cooperate therewith to regulate the pressure transmitted therethrough by rotary adjustment thereot.

2. A carburetor having: an air passage, a fuel reservoir, a fuel nozzle communicating with the 'lur-l reservoir and with air passagei a rotary pressure controlling member. For establishing communication between the upper portion oi"- the reservoir and the air passage, said rotary member extending: out into the air passage and having an opening therein; a-passagc connecting said opening \viththc fuel reservoir whereby the pressure in the reservoir is controlled therethrough, said opening; being adapted to be directed toward or aiva from the air currents and means to rotate said member to change the 'ing' an air passage, a fuel reservoir, means for conduetlng fuel from the reservoir to the air passage, a pressure controllin memher for establishing communication between the upper portion of the reservoir and the air passage and extending out into the air passage. said extending portion of the membe! having an opening therein adapted to be directed toward or away from the air currents, a passage connecting said opening with, said fuel reservoir and through which the pressure in the reservoir is controlled. said member being adjustable to change the direction of the opening with respect to said air currents to vary the pressure in said reservoir, in accordance with the requ1rements of the motor. a

4. A carbureter comprising a casing having an air passage, a fuel reservoir, a fuel nozzle communicating with the fuel reservoir and with the air passage. means for varying the air pressure on the fuel in the reservoir 11) accordance with the requirement of a motor. said means compressing a tubular member, one end of which projects into tl air passag and the other end of which is inconmiunieation with the upper part of the fuel reservoir. the portion of said tube extending into the air passage being provided with one or more openings in one side thereof. and means forrotating said tubular member so as to change the direction of said openings with respect to. the air eurrentsin said passage whercb the relatioir ship between the air currents and the pressure on said fuel may be varied at will.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature. in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. E; EARL,

\Vitnesses: 

